Engagement
by Kato Chinatsu
Summary: Some decisions dictated by others may not be as bad as they seem. [Akashi x Fem!Kuroko]


_**Kato**__: In line with AkaKuro Week 2014. Requested by __**kh07gl**__._

_**Concept of the Story**__: Some decisions dictated by others may not be as bad as they seem._

_**Disclaimer**__: Kuroko no Basket belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi._

_If the story is not appealing to the respective reader, feel free to press the back button. Thank you for the consideration of reading this!_

_**Warning: Akashi x Fem! Kuro**_

* * *

_What God has bound together, let man not separate._

* * *

Stereotypically speaking and frankly out of what was expected of a man and woman emerging from high-class families, every detail of their being was simply perfect, down to the finest detail. Their pristine and majestic appearance that just simply complemented the other, the air of sophistication that surrounded them, brought about by strictly guarded mannerism and proper etiquette... These were all products of being raised from such high-class families. To the venturing and fleeting shades of eyes that basked in their glorious figures, they were utterly perfect in all aspects. But to the pair themselves, the image that they carry was but a mere presentation that had to be done.

Adorning her petite and utterly delicate frame was an aquamarine sleeveless chiffon dress that flowed ever so smoothly down to her knees. Consisting of two folds that could evidently seen as with the contrast of shades aquamarine and sky blue, a pristine white ribbon intricately wrapped around her slender waist pulled taut the first aquamarine fold of the dress to expose the sky blue hue of the second underneath. Waist-length powder-blue locks were fixed and tied to drape smoothly on the right side of her chest, exposing her slender neck to view, adorned with a priceless genuine pearl necklace that simply accentuated the paleness of her complexion. A small bundle of plastic white roses adorned the left side of her hair just above her ears, balancing out her angelic presentation.

Looking past all these accessories that adorned her being, she possessed an ethereal beauty that was highly bewitching. Her eyes of a powder-blue shade were quite dull in contrast to the gleaming ones directed upon her, but they held a questionable and mysterious depth in them that seemed almost too fragile to explore and to be lost upon. Her complexion of a milky white shade added to that angelic presentation that she behold. Her naturally pink lips, untainted by any form of chemical substances curled so beautifully to express a miniscule smile. She was unquestionably perfect and an epitome of a perfect wife.

A perfect woman no doubt deserves a perfect man, and her partner simply befitted that respective role. His well-formed physique was adorned with an expensive white business suit consisting of three layers: the pristine white jacket, a faded-gray vest that sharply clung onto his torso, and the crisp white long-sleeved shirt that rested all the way underneath the two apparel. An equally white pair of pants clung to the shape of his legs just right, emphasizing the length of his legs down to just above his ankles by which were covered by branded shoes of the same equal shade. A black necktie looped around the collar of his shirt, the half of it disappearing under the confines of the faded-gray vest. The apparels, however, did little to divert the attention from his defined Adonis-like features.

His crimson-shaded hair was gelled back partially on the left side, exposing one of his eyes fully of a shade of raw sienna. Since most of his fiery red locks naturally covered the right side of his face, the locks shrouded the ruby-red eye effectively from view. Despite his eyes being heterochromatic, rather than finding it odd, most people found it eerily seductive and an addition to the man's devastatingly good appeal. His features were just as much a sculpted perfection and the mannerism by which his lips would curl was simply elegant and charming. He was undeniably perfect and an epitome of a perfect husband.

But they both knew far too well that what they were treading was far from a desirable and perfect life. The cold surface of the identical silver bands resting upon their ring finger was enough of an indication to that undeniable fact.

On the eyes of men, they were but a sophisticated, happy young couple to be wedded in a period of a mere few months at most. But behind closed doors, everything was of a different case. There were never concrete terms on their feelings, if they even coincide with the respective other. As offspring of high-class families, marriage purely out of interest and gains were to be expected, and the both of them were well aware of that fact. If there was something that made the matter considerably acceptable, it would have to be the significant fact that they have known each other all throughout their lives.

Akashi Seijuuro and Kuroko Tetsuna. As young children, they had been quite inseparable more so due to their respective natures as children which they have brought along as they aged. Both were considerably quiet individuals, more so Kuroko. Associating with others had always been a difficult process to her due to the soft-spoken nature she possessed. As she aged, she was able to grow out of that shell with the aid of Akashi. Akashi, on the other hand, was a rather... meticulous and calculative young child. In comparison to a stereotypical image of a child, he did not indulge himself with childish acts; not that he was permitted to do so in the first place. Absorbed with multiple piles and piles of literary books of varying classes, one could probably conclude that he was robbed of his childhood. Well, they both were.

He was a brotherly figure to her as she was a sisterly figure to him, and both of them long acknowledged and respected that. But there, in that place, in that sea of strangers whose eyes lingered not so inconspicuously on them, he was her to-be husband as she was her to-be wife. Conclusively, that would be acknowledged as they (their parents) celebrate their engagement on the household of the Akashi family. Customarily speaking, that was how things were supposed to proceed.

The household of the Akashi family consisted of a massive ballroom wherein the engagement party would be celebrated. Just by observation alone, the number of guests - relatives and business wise - exceeded a hundred, by which most of them the two were unfamiliar of.

Right. As heir and heiress, they should know: everything was for business.

"Ah! There is my future daughter-in-law!"

Upon hearing his father's remark, he glanced up from his crystal glass filled of red wine to gaze upon the familiar powder-blue hues of his friend... no. Future wife. A small genuine smile managed to grace upon his lips as he took in her beautiful and oh so delicate sight. She has changed, so much in the twelve years that they had not seen each other. She had grown far too beautiful, and a natural air of confidence lingered upon her frame.

He awaited for a smile to be returned in kind to him, but all he received was a blank stare and her dull eyes becoming ever the more lifeless as they drifted away from his captivating gaze.

It stung. Excruciatingly so.

With the finesse of a highly sophisticated young woman, she curtsied ever so gracefully in front of the elder Akashi as a sign of respect. The approval gleaming on crimson-red hues was evident.

"Akashi-san. It has been quite a long time since our last meeting. How have you been?" Her crystalline-like voice rang clearly to their ears, slightly deep due to the dullness of her tone.

"All has been well and much better now that you are here, my dear child," he answered casually, appraising her look before offering a hand to her. "Do call me 'Father' from now on. You will be a part of our family soon, either way."

She gratefully took his offered hand but paused briefly as she formulated her response on her lips. All the while, she paid little to none attention to her... her fiancé.

"If you do not mind, I wish to keep my addressing the same. It takes a while to get used to abrupt, unprecedented changes," she requested firmly, earning slow nods from the elder man as she spoke.

"Of course, of course. Not a matter. Eventually, you will get used to it," he dismissed the topic easily with a wave of his hand. "Now why don't you and Seijuuro get acquainted? I'm sure the both of you has a lot to catch up."

Before Akashi could speak in response to the suggestion, Kuroko simply shook her head in response.

"There will be time for that eventually. It is with due consideration that I properly greet the guests, if you do not mind. My parents should be here in a few moments."

"... Point taken. Carry on, child. We will see you in a while."

With a polite curtsy, she sharply turned on her heels, leaving her fiancé partially startled. She had changed. Far too much than what he could remember. She was... a different person altogether. Those usually dull powder-blue hues bore hatred and betrayal underneath them... Flickers of resignation and hesitance. Most of all, they were utterly lifeless.

"Excuse me, father."

Without as much as a pause to await for his father's response, he left his side to pursue the bluenette beauty who left a few seconds ago.

* * *

It was the only excuse she could formulate in her mind at that moment of desperation out of not wanting to be alone with Akashi, and yet as she roamed about, politely greeting guest after guest, she had to wonder...

What is she doing?

It was not as if either of them requested for their situation to ultimately result to this. She was certain that her gestures offended him greatly to a certain extent, but he had easily masked it with his cool façade of nonchalance. It stung. How he seemed to easily agree to all of this as if this decision was as meaningless as those that their parents had made previously. It stung just because... Just because he knew nothing.

"What is the princess sulking about?"

The ever so light familiar voice caught her attention in an instant, halting her from her twisted tracks as she carefully turned to face the owner of that said voice. Gradually, her dull lifeless eyes lightened considerably to a softer hue as she was greeted with the sight of her closest acquaintances.

"She looks like she's about to cry. Geh! I knew your face was such a mood-killer!"

"Shut up, you two! We came here to support Kuroko, not to hear you two bicker!"

Before she could process her actions, she was already stepping close towards her three guests who were all looking at her with such fond expressions. In a split second, a warm pair of arms wound around her frame, encompassing her in such comfort that she longed for ever since she arrived at the household of his fiancé. Comforting gestures were given to her through light caresses on her silky baby blue locks. Paying no attention to the guests whom had their eyes curiously upon her position, she permitted herself to lean against the radiating warmth.

"We missed you too, princess. You don't look like you are having fun at your party."

"You should know the reason, Kise-kun," was the soft response as she released the smartly dressed blond male from her grasp before turning to address the other two.

"Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun, I am glad you two were able to come."

"What? Don't we get a hug as well?" Aomine asked rhetorically, a mischievous smile on his lips as he swung the frail bluenette in a tight hug.

Feeling her lungs being practically squeezed from inside her chest, she inconspicuously jabbed sharply at his ribs, earning her a pained grunt.

"For a lady, you sure can give one hell of a jab," Aomine groaned slightly as he rubbed the pained spot whilst Kagami took his turn to hug the pale bluenette.

"Just be thankful she was incapable of punching you in front of the guests," Kagami answered simply.

As she pulled away from their hugs, a soft smile managed to linger upon her lips. These guys... they were companions he trusted dearly. In those twelve years that she had been away in pursuance of her studies in America, they were the ones who kept her company all throughout even after university. Of course, she knew that at some point, they garnered romantic emotions for her, but she kindly dismissed such gestures of affection as she could not fully reciprocate their feelings the way she would for a specific someone. It was best to keep them at a distance; as close friends as what she deemed a proper label.

"Here we are, thinking you will be happy when we come to see you, but you look so pained for a second there," Kise commented with a playful smile, brushing her cheeks softly as if to wipe the depression off of her delicate features.

"I am happy now," she corrected the remark with a shake of her head. "It feels a whole lot better to have all of you here beside me."

"That's nice to hear," Kagami intervened with a grin. "We did not come here to see you so down after all."

"This is worth the trip. You look beautiful tonight," Aomine added, for once being considerate.

"Not that you weren't before!" Kagami supplied with a grimace.

"I think Kurokochii understands that, Kagamichii," Kise laughed it off, a grin creeping along the corners of his lips as he turned to address the softly smiling bluenette. "So, can we have a dance with you? That should not be much."

As she was about to nod her head in agreement to the request, a hand firmly yanked her away from the three males who, for a second, were stunned before a chorus of growls resounded from their clenched teeth. Without even having to look back, she knew quite well who had pulled her away. As if that familiar warmth was not enough of an indication.

It had been her comfort as a child, but at the moment, it was causing her whole body to frigidly tense. It was cold to the touch. The touch she longed for as a child was now a touch she had slowly began to abhor. Simply because... he knew of nothing. And that negligence was something she vehemently despised. But underneath his touch, she was immobile. Her senses shut down completely, making her vulnerable to his beck and call, as what he was doing then. Just by simply holding her against the broad expanse of his chest, he had captured her completely.

"I do believe that it is only customary for the bride's future **husband **to take the first dance with her."

"Akashi-kun, please do not-"

"You... have no arguments to spare. You will have to talk to me eventually," the man answered firmly, his lips pressed into a fine line of discontent.

Heterochromatic hues of liquid crimson and raw sienna gazed silently in anger at topaz ones as silent yet seething rage rapidly constricted the air surrounding the small group. It was unwelcomed. It was unnerving, yet none made a move to drop it.

"You must be Akashi Seijuuro," Aomine stated in a cold voice, those piercing mismatched hues soon flickering to meet his deep cobalt eyes. "We have heard quite a lot about you."

A seemingly polite smile was flashed in return to the acknowledgement. Seemingly, that is.

"How fortunate that I do not have to introduce myself," was the male's response, pressing in as much of what little ounce of politeness he had at that moment. "Now if you will excuse us."

Before her fiancée could fully pull her away, a hand swiftly grabbed her shoulder, keeping the bluenette in place. Looking up the expanse of that arm, powder-blue hues net concerned topaz orbs. No doubt, the same constricting emotion was swirling along deep cobalt and crimson red, but she chose not to acknowledge them.

"Will you be fine, Kurokochii?" Kise asked with genuine concern directed solely at her before his eyes fleeted to the side to regard piercing mismatched eyes.

"I won't repeat myself after this. Let go of my _**wife**_," was the commanding order.

The three males flinched at the sinister aura radiating from a man considerably shorter than they were but they refused to budge whilst awaiting for the confirmation from the pale bluenette. Forcing her nonchalant composure into place, she slowly grasped the hand resting upon her shoulder, relishing its warmth for the last time before allowing it to drop back to the blond's side.

"Please excuse us," was the simple statement uttered as she walked away from the three males, followed by her silently seething fianceè.

The guests were left to gossip amongst themselves as they assessed the three males in utter curiosity. Blatant displeasure was evident in their features and none could blame them for feeling such. After all, their angel had been swept away by a negligent devil in disguise. That thought alone left a lingering bitter taste of something akin to arsenic upon their tongues.

* * *

There was absolutely no ounce of intention on his mind to have that side of him be presented so publicly, most of all to his fiancé, but his sanity simply snapped in a matter of a second at the sight of men hogging all over her. He was irked and there was no point in denying that fact, but that feeling was further fuelled by the sight of Kuroko in the arms of other men... and the distinctive genuine smile that graced her lips as she was caught in their presence. All the whilst as he had searched for her, the fleeting thought that she had changed plagued every corner of his mind in search of how that could possibly be. And yet, as those pink lips curled into that smile - a smile he was oh so familiar with - he had come to realize that he perceived off the mark.

She had changed. But upon his presence, she was colder. She was aloof and disinterested. Just in his presence alone.

A part of her loathed him even further. To publicly claim her as his wife... He was professional at messing with her mind. That annoying aspect of him had been retained, unfortunately, even after twelve years. His presence alone was stirring unpleasant reminders in her chest, suffocating her on the inside. How she despised his nonchalant upfront, just as he was starting to despise her equally nonchalant features.

Neither of them dared to speak as they entered the confines of Akashi's impeccably clean room. From the tresses of her jumbled memories, the room retained as it had been previously, with only minor changes adorning it. Surprising, so to speak, with the amount of time that had transpired by them, she had expected far greater. Then again, if Akashi was the same person as she had known him for, this should be normal as the male was never open to the idea of change on any aspect available.

Without as much as hesitance on her part, she confidently stood by the single window of his bedroom, staring at the glistening beauty of the midnight-black twinkling ceiling that hung far above their head. It was enchanting. Quite bedazzling. And something to misdirect her attention away from the ever so quiet male standing a mere few feet behind her. No acknowledgement would leave her lips. She could process none just by being alone with him in that restricted space.

It was he who decided to shatter the silence to indiscernible millions of fragments, speaking of merely one sentence that conveyed a thousand messages.

"Do you hate me now after all these years?"

Her negativity suddenly burst out from her lips with that single statement as she spoke continuously to satiate her restrained anger for the male.

"I am starting to," she admitted in a low voice, not daring to glance at his direction. "This engagement is highly improper. It is out of convenience that I wish not to be engaged to someone just because our parents had dictated it or for the sole purpose of business gains. Your agreement to all of this is just... disappointing. Greatly disappointing. You allowed for Akashi-san to dictate your life once again."

Silence met her response briefly, making her wonder if she had dangerously treaded uncharted waters, but before she could even contemplate on her words, she was met with his response.

"What right do I have to refuse a decision I have always wanted to have?" Akashi countered in a low voice.

"Twelve years, you had been away from my side. What right do you have to loathe me, Tetsuna?"

The warmth radiating from his body indicated his movement of moving closer to her back until he was but a few centimeters away from being pressed against her skin.

"I do not comprehend..."

"Do you hate me?" he countered the question with a slight alteration to it. Of course, the meaning conveyed was of a different context.

"... I don't."

"You never could hate me," was the blunt statement.

Her lips pressed together in a firm line, finding the anger bubbling in her chest residing as resignation surfaced.

"Yes."

That was the whole reason for her anger towards him in general. Marriage upon a couple from the high class had quite a norm. It had always been marriage with benefits. On distinctive cases, it often ended with the annulment of marriage thereafter an heir for the male had been conceived. To be used for something like that without the acknowledgement of her feelings for the male, the sole man she had harbored feelings beyond what should have been offered to a brotherly figure... It was just inhumane.

She had been loving this cold man for as long as she could remember.

"When we were but mere children, I made a vow to you that I would always stay by your side and keep you safe," Akashi started, placing his hands on her shoulders as he turned her to face his direction.

"Do you honestly think I intended to stay as that 'brotherly-figure' you so very looked up to forever?"

Her response to that was suddenly lodged in her throat as he leaned down, pressing a firm kiss to one of the corners of her lips. Their lips barely touched, but the contact shot a sensual spark along the column of her spine. As a man raised with such traditional customs, under no circumstances would he kiss her... yet. The first kiss held a valuable meaning after all. Eternal possession. That was what he would stake for when she become completely bound to him; body, heart and soul.

Akashi did not pull away from their contact, opting to wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her flush against his chest. His curled lips rested just an inch above her left ear, heated breaths fanning pale skin delicately.

"Do think about that. I'm not foolish to marry and spend the rest of my life with a woman I have no ounce of affection to," he breathed against the curve of her ear before he pulled her back from his grasp.

"And when you have thought through that, come look for me outside."

Not another word left those curled lips as Akashi exited his room without so much as a glance back at her. Not that she minded. Slowly, she wrapped her arms tightly around her frame, trying to keep the warmth she received from him if only temporary. Her features remained as impassive as they could possibly be, but her eyes swirled with constricting emotions she was unsure of acknowledging.

Indirect as it was, his confession was clear in her mind. This man who had ruined her being for so many years due to these unprecedented emotions he had ignited within her...

"You never change."

Oddly enough, she found herself smiling softly at the thought. And if that was the case, she would bet all that she had in her possession at that moment, that he was leaning against the door outside, listening with a satisfied smirk on his lips.

* * *

_Thank you for reading!_


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